Physik: Septimus Heap, Book Three

When Silas Heap unseals a forgotten room in the palace, he releases the ghost of a queen who lived 500 years earlier. Queen Etheldredda is as awful in death as she was in life, and she's still up to no good. Her diabolical plan to give herself everlasting life requires Jenna's compliance, Septimus' disappearance, and the talents of her son, Marcellus Pye, a famous alchemist and physician.

As a mother of very young children, I'm always on the hunt for books that interest me, yet are kid friendly. (no cussing, vulgarity, etc) This series is wonderful. If you liked the other Septimus books, you'll enjoy this one as well. The narrator is very good (after getting used to him in the second book) and one that I enjoy listening to. Though I do wish the had kept the original narrator from the first Septimus book.

Crimes Against Magic: The Hellequin Chronicles, Book 1

How do you keep the people you care about safe from enemies you can’t remember? Ten years ago, Nate Garrett awoke on a cold warehouse floor with no memory of his past and the only clues to his identity were a piece of paper with his name on it and a propensity toward magic. Now he’s a powerful sorcerer and a successful thief for hire, but it turns out that those who stole his memories aren’t done with him yet. When they cause a job to go bad, threatening a sixteen-year-old girl, Nate swears to protect her.

The Emerald Atlas: Books of Beginning

Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage. Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about. Until now. Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey to dangerous and secret corners of the world....

I listen to lots of children's stories since I have toddlers and most adult books that I tend to listen to are not appropriate for little ears. I wasn't a fan of the defensive/ sometimes bratty attitudes of the main characters and it took me awhile to become more interested in the story. I can't say that I ever truly "got into" the book. However, it wasn't so bad that I won't listen to the next books in the series. This story didn't hold my attention as well as Peter and the Starcatchers, Harry Potter or the Bartimeaus trilogy. But it did pass car time.

The Complete Just So Stories

Have you ever wondered how and why the animals came to be as they are? In these magical tales, drawn from stories he heard as a child in India as well as on folk traditions he later collected all over the world, Rudyard Kipling gives some wonderfully imaginative explanations.

I love the Just So stories. I wouldn't have thought that anyone could have ruined them...and boy, was I ever wrong! The narrator doesn't speak clearly and tries to do his own sound effects. He should have stuck to just telling the stories. One example is "How the Camel Got His Hump." I remember this well from my childhood days...but the way this narrator tells the story- you would never get that the camel was going around saying "humph!" to everyone (instead it is some extremely loud noise that's supposed to be a camel)...and so you would miss the point of the story. Unless, of course, you already knew the story. My children usually pay really close attention to audiobooks while in the car- this didn't keep their attention at all. They love the stories in book form. If you are at all picky about narrators- DO NOT GET THIS!

I really enjoyed this book! I developed a love of SciFi in college when said channel would run movie marathons while I should have been studying. I first started listening to these authors after getting Relic. I was hooked! If you watch movies on Syfy and enjoy them- these books are great and then some! I am extremely picky about narrators though. I think that this narrator is better than Scott Brick...but unless the narrator is truly heinous, or a woman, I can try to overlook them if the book is engaging enough. I've actually listened to this book twice and enjoyed it both times. I didn't take away stars for the narration because I am so picky- this guy does an ok job compared to a lot of the narrators out there.

Peter and the Sword of Mercy: The Starcatchers, Book 4

The year is 1902 - it's been 23 years since Peter and the Lost Boys returned from Rundoon. Since then, nobody on the island has grown a day older, and the Lost Boys continue their friendship with the Mollusk tribe and their rivalry with Captain Hook. Meanwhile, in London, Molly has married George Darling and is raising three children: Wendy, Michael, and John. One night, a visitor appears at her door; it's James, one of Peter's original Lost Boys.

I am always on the look-out for child friendly books that I enjoy listening to as well. And that one of my favorite narrators is reading is icing on the cake! I highly enjoyed this entire series, though this particular book took me a little longer to get into than the others. I don't think anyone would be disappointed with these books!

Thunderhead

Nora Kelly, a young archaeologist in Santa Fe, receives a letter written 16 years ago, yet mysteriously mailed only recently. In it her father, long believed dead, hints at a fantastic discovery that will make him famous and rich - the lost city of an ancient civilization that suddenly vanished a thousand years ago. Now Nora is leading an expedition into a harsh, remote corner of Utah's canyon country, but what she unearths will be the newest of horrors.

I love Preston/Child books. They are usually right up my SciFi alley. Sadly, many of their books are narrated by Scott Brick. He is definitely not the worst narrator I've ever heard. The narration could be made worse by a woman trying to read them (I can NOT stand women narrators)...but he definitely takes some of my listening pleasure away. Though I did get impatient with some of the characters- Preston and Child still kept me entertained though I wouldn't say that this was one of their best. It's not enough to not buy the book. This book took me through several days of intense yard work- and made the time pass much more quickly.

The Ring of Solomon: A Bartimaeus Novel, Book 4

Bartimaeus, everyones favorite (wise-cracking) djinni, is back in book four of this best-selling series. As alluded to in the footnotes throughout the series, Bartimaeus has served hundreds of magicians during his 5,010 year career. Now, for the first time, fans will go back in time with the djinni, to Jerusalem and the court of King Solomon in 950s BC. Only in this adventure, it seems the great Bartimaeus has finally met his match.

I agree that this book is a bit different than the books in the trilogy. I loved the trilogy- and I highly enjoyed this book as well. I knew from reading the summary that it was way before the other books so I didn't expect anything other than Bartimaeus to be carried over. It was slightly slower getting started (and I mean very slightly) than the previous books. But there was nothing about this book that could possibly get me to subtract any stars. Definitely a stand-alone book, and highly enjoyable. I sincerely hope that this is not the last Bartimaeus book! Don't hesitate, get this book and you won't be disappointed!

Ptolemy's Gate: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 3

Three years after the events of The Golem's Eye, the young magician Nathaniel is an established member of the British Government. But he faces unprecedented problems: foreign wars are going badly and Britain's enemies are mounting attacks close to London.

The other reviews really sum it up: another excellent book and another excellent narration by Simon Jones. I can't imagine anyone NOT enjoying these books. These books are almost too good for kids! lol I was sad that this was only a trilogy. I was definitely wondering the entire way through how everything would be resolved and I was definitely surprised at the ending. Though the ending was nothing I would have expected, I thought it worked well. Now we just need more Stroud/Jones books!

The Golem's Eye: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2

Two years have passed since young apprentice magician Nathaniel became famous by foiling the ruthless Simon Lovelace. Now 14, Nathaniel is ambitiously climbing the ranks of the magicians' government. The Prime Minister himself has placed Nathaniel in charge of capturing the Resistance, a group of unruly commoners working to undermine the magicians' empire. But after several failed attempts, Nathaniel is forced to admit he can't do it alone.

This trilogy is one of the best, most entertaining series I have listened to in an extremely long time. Stroud does a great job keeping things moving with plenty of witty repartee. And I can't say enough about Simon Jones! He is now my favorite narrator- and I'm insanely picky! After I listened to the first book, I bought the rest of the series immediately! Well worth your credits. I listen to kids books when my young children are around so that they aren't hearing profanity and adult content...if I'm listening with headphones, I'm often listening to Preston/Child books and I save the children's books for when we are in the car. Not so with this series! I had to listen to them till I finished, whether it was in the car or with headphones.

The Amulet of Samarkand: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1

Nathaniel is eleven-years-old and a magician's apprentice, learning the traditional art of magic. All is well until he has a life-changing encounter with Simon Lovelace, a magician of unrivaled ruthlessness and ambition. When Lovelace brutally humiliates Nathaniel in public, Nathaniel decides to speed up his education, teaching himself spells far beyond his years. With revenge on his mind, he masters one of the toughest spells of all and summons Bartimaeus, a five-thousand-year-old djinni, to assist him.

I love listening to books when I can't read them. But I am rather picky about narrators. With the wrong narrator, I can't even make it through a book I highly enjoyed reading. In the car, or working around the house with my iPod docked, I listen to children's books because I have two small children and I don't want them hearing profanity or adult content. All that being said, this is the ONLY book that I have ever become completely enthralled with in the first 5 minutes of listening! The author was extremely witty and Simon Jones does an excellent job. I can't say enough about Simon Jones with this set of books!!! He easily replaced Jim Dale as my favorite narrator (which I thought could never happen). Some kids books are hard to listen to- this one is not. I can't imagine anyone, old or young, not enjoying this book and this series!

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